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15. The Englishman did not believe it would be easy to reconcile his feelings to a soldier's life on General Marion's terms ing and no pay! and no provisions but potatoes!

16. "Why, sir," answered the General, "the heart is all, and, when that is much interested a man can do anything. Many a youth would think it hard to bind himself a slave for fourteen years. But let him be over head and ears in love, and with such a beauteous sweetheart as Rachael, and he will think no more of fourteen years' servitude than did young Jacob.

17. "Well, now, this is exactly my case. I am in love; and my sweetheart is Liberty. Be that heavenly nymph my companion, and these wilds and woods shall have charms beyond London and Paris in slavery.

18. "To have no proud monarch driving over me with his gilt coaches, and no host of tax-gatherers insulting and robbing me; but to be my own master, my own prince and sovereign; planting my vineyards, and eating their fruits; sowing my fields, and reaping the golden grain, and seeing millions of brothers round me equally free and happy,—this, sir, this is what I long for."

19. The officer replied that, both as a man and a Briton he must assent to this as a happy state of things.

"Happy!" exclaimed Marion; "yes, happy indeed! And I had rather fight for such blessings for my country, and feed on roots, than keep aloof, though wallowing in all the luxuries of kings.

20. "For now, sir, I walk the soil that gave me birth, and exult in the thought that I am not unworthy of it. I think of my own sacred rights, and rejoice that I have not basely deserted them.

21. "And when I look forward to the long ages of posterity I glory in the thought that I am fighting their battles. The children of distant generations may never hear my name; but still it gladdens my heart to think that I am now contending for their freedom with all its countless blessings."

22. On the officer's return to Georgetown his colonel asked him what made him look so serious. "I have cause, sir," said he, "to look serious."- "What! has General Marion refused to treat?". "No, sir."-"Well, then, has old Washington defeated Sir Henry Clinton and broken up our army?"

23.

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No, sir, not that either; but worse."-"Worse! what can be worse?". Why, sir, I have seen an American general and his officers without pay, and almost without clothes, living on roots and drinking water, and all for Liberty! What chance have we against such

men!"

24. The colonel was not much gratified at this speech. But the young officer was so struck by Marion's sentiments that he gave up his commission and retired from service.

LESSON CXCIX.

A-DIEU', (French a, to, and dieu, God), | PEER, an equal, a nobleman.

farewell.

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PLAIN, used for complain.

PORT CUL'LIS, a frame or grate of bars.
placed over a gateway, which, wheu let
down, prevents going out or coming in.
Row'EL, the little wheel of a spur.
SAFE-CON'DUCT, a writing intended to
give security to a person passing
through a country.

TUR RET, a little tower raised on a build-
ing,

UN-SCATHED', unhurt, uninjured.
VAS'SAL, a subject, a dependant.
WARD'ER, a keeper, a guard.

PRONUNCIATION.-A-dieu' 16, sov'er-eign (suv'er-in) 3, England 33, beard 22.

MARMION AND DOUGLAS.

1. LORD MARMION, an English nobleman, was sent on an embassy to the King of Scotland. The king directed Archibald Douglas, the old Earl of Angus, to entertain him for a time in his castle of Tantallon. While Marmion was in the castle Douglas learned that his guest had been guilty of disgraceful actions; and in consequence treated him with cold formality.

2. James IV. King of Scotland, was at this time waging war upon Henry VIII. King of England. Marmion, having heard that Lord Surrey, the commander of the English army, was about to fight the Scottish forces, determined to leave Tantallon, and be present in the battle.

3. Not far advanced was morning day,
When Marmion did his troops array,
To Surrey's camp to ride.
He had safe-conduct for his band,
Beneath the royal seal and hand,
And Douglas gave a guide.

4. The train from out the castle drew;

But Marmion stopped to bid adieu

;

"Though something I might plain," he said,
"Of cold respect to stranger-guest
Sent hither by your king's behest,
While in Tantallon's towers I staid,
Part we in friendship from your land,
And, noble Earl, receive my hand.”

5. But Douglas round him drew his cloak,
Folded his arms, and thus he spoke :-

"My manors, halls, and bowers shall still
Be open to my sovereign's will,

To each one whom he lists, howe'er
Unmeet to be the owner's peer;
My castles are my king's alone,
From turret to foundation-stone-
The hand of Douglas is his own;
And never shall in friendly grasp
The hand of such as Marmion clasp."

6. Burned Marmion's swarthy cheek like fire,
And shook his very frame for ire,

And -"This to me!" he said,-
"An 't were not for thy hoary beard,
Such hand as Marmion's had not spared
To cleave the Douglas' head!
And, first, I tell thee, haughty peer,
He who does England's message bear,
Although the meanest in her state,
May well, proud Angus, be thy mate;
And, Douglas, more I tell thee here,
E'en in thy pitch of pride,

-

Here in thy hold, thy vassals near
Nay, never look upon your lord,
And lay your hands upon your sword
I tell thee, thou'rt defied!
And if thou saidst I am not peer
To any lord in Scotland here,
Lowland or Highland, far or near,
Lord Angus, thou hast lied!

7. On the earl's cheek the flush of rage
O'ercame the ashen hue of age;

Fierce he broke forth:-"And dar'st thou then
To beard the lion in his den,

The Douglas in his hall?

And hop'st thou hence unscathed to go?

No, by Saint Bryde of Bothwell, no! —
Up draw-bridge, grooms! What, warder, ho!
Let the portcullis fall!"

8. Lord Marmion turned

well was his need

And dashed the rowels in his steed,
Like arrow through the archway sprung;
The ponderous grate behind him rung.
To
pass there was such scanty room
The bars, descending, razed his plume.

9. The steed along the draw-bridge flies
Just as it trembles on the rise.
Not lighter does the swallow skim
Along the smooth lake's level brim.
And when Lord Marmion reached his band,
He halts, and turns with clenched hand,

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And shout of loud defiance pours,
And shook his gauntlet at the towers.

10. "Horse! horse!" the Douglas cried, “ and chase!”
But soon he reined his fury's pace;
His hasty mandate he recalls,
And slowly seeks his castle-halls.

WALTER SCOTT.

LESSON CC.

ELF, a fairy.

FAC UL-TY, power, ability.

IM-MAC U-LATE, spotless, clean.
PA'THOS, expression of deep feeling.

HER-BA'RI-UM, collection of plants dried PER-TI NAC'I-TY, resolution, constancy.

and preserved.

UN-CON'SCIOUS-LY, without knowing.

PRONUNCIATION.-Spec'ta-cles, lf, pa'thos 27a, mis-tak'en 4d, reg'u-lar 2e, the 31. proc ́ess 27b, a 31, us'u-al 3a, cup'board (kub ́burd), bade 33.

UNCLE ABEL AND LITTLE EDWARD.

1. UNCLE ABEL was one of the most stiff, formal, upright, downright good men that ever labored six days and rested on the seventh.

2. But, if you suppose from his hard, weather-beaten countenance that this good man had nothing kindly within, you are much mistaken. You often find the greenest grass under a snow-drift.

3. Every thing in Uncle Abel's house was in the same time, place, manner, and form from year's end to year's end. There was old Master Bose, a dog after my uncle's own heart, who always walked as if he were learning the multiplication-table. There was the old clock, forever ticking in the kitchen-corner, with a picture on its face of the sun forever setting behind a perpendicular row of poplars.

4. There was the never-failing supply of red-peppers and onions, hanging over the chimney. There were the yearly hollyhocks and morning-glories, blooming around the windows. There was the "best room," with its sanded floor, and evergreen asparagus-bushes— its cupboard with a glass door in one corner-and the stand, with the great Bible and almanac on it, in the other.

5. There was Aunt Betsey, who never looked any older, because she always looked as old as she could-who always dried her catnip and wormwood the last of September, and began to clean house the first of May.

6. Little Edward was the child of my uncle's old age, and a brighter, merrier little blossom never grew up. He was the most outrageously merry little elf that ever shook a head of curls, and it was all the same to him whether it was Sunday or any other day. 7. He laughed and frolicked with every body and every thing that

came in his way, not even excepting his solemn old father; and when you saw him with his arms round the old man's neck, and his bright, blue eyes and blooming cheek pressing out by the dark face of Uncle Abel, you almost fancied that you saw spring caressing winter.

8. He did mischief with an energy that was truly astonishing. Once he scoured the floor with Aunt Betsey's very best Scotch snuff'; and once he washed up the hearth with Uncle Abel's most immaculate clothes-brush, and once he spent half an hour in trying to make Bose wear his father's spectacles. In short, there was no use but the right one to which he did not put every thing that came in his way.

9. My poor uncle! he did not know what was the matter with his heart; but certain it was that he lost all faculty of scolding when little Edward was in the case. He would stand rubbing his spectacles a quarter of an hour longer than usual when Aunt Betsey was detailing his witticisms and clever doings.

10. But in process of time our hero arrived at the dignity of going to school. He went illustriously through the spelling-book, and then attacked the catechism; went from "man's chief end" to "the commandments" in a fortnight, and at last came home, inordinately merry, to tell his father he had got to "Amen.”

11. After this he made a regular business of saying over the whole every Sunday evening, standing with his hands folded in front, and his checked apron smoothed down, occasionally giving a glance over his shoulder to see whether pussy was attending.

12. Being of a very benevolent turn of mind, he made several very commendable efforts to teach Bose the catechism, in which he succeeded as well as could be expected.

13. But alas, for poor little Edward! his merry dance was soon over. A day came when he sickened. Aunt Betsey tried her whole herbarium, but in vain; he grew rapidly worse and worse. His father sickened in heart, but said nothing; he only staid by the little fellow's bedside day and night, trying all means to save, with affecting pertinacity.

14. "Can you not think of something more, doctor?" said he to the physician when everything had been tried in vain. "Nothing," answered the physician. A slight convulsion passed over my uncle's face. "Then the Lord's will be done!" said he.

15. Just at that moment a ray of the setting sun pierced the checked curtains, and gleamed like an angel's smile across the face of the little sufferer. He awoke from disturbed sleep.

16. "Oh dear! oh, I am so sick!" he gasped feebly. His father raised him in his arms; he breathed with more ease, and looked up with a grateful smile.

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